New Challenges for New RBI Governor
Deccan ChronicleThe new year 2025 is going to see a new and very different MPC composition with three newly appointed external MPC members in October 2024, being now joined by the new governor and possibly a new deputy governor in January 2025 with deputy governor Michael Patra's tenure getting over. Entrenched state of India's stagflation, tricky timings and small window of conventional rate cuts as global dynamics turn more fluid, mounting forex pressures and increasing cost of forex intervention, none of these were challenging in the same period last year.” “As of now, we do not rule out a cut in Feb'25 at present, but would be more comfortable taking a firm call closer to the policy window. We also keep a watch on unconventional easing measures, specifically, the gradual easing of regulatory lending norms ahead in order to re-spur waning credit offtake,” added Arora. Interestingly, the new governor and MPC will also have very different policy challenges and macro and global landscape entering CY25 vs what the outgoing governor Shaktikanta Das led regime faced at the beginning of CY24.Says Madhavi Arora, lead economist at Emkay “The policy trade-offs are getting acute. Entrenched state of India's stagflation, tricky timings and small window of conventional rate cuts as global dynamics turn more fluid, mounting forex pressures and increasing cost of forex intervention, none of these were challenging in the same period last year.”“As of now, we do not rule out a cut in Feb'25 at present, but would be more comfortable taking a firm call closer to the policy window.